Most and Least Affordable Cities by City Size

Explore how affordability varies by city size around the world. This ranking compares the most and least affordable cities within small, mid-sized, and large population categories, helping you understand how urban scale impacts cost of living. Use the interactive table and map to filter cities by size group and compare Cost of Living Index values. Whether you're looking for a budget-friendly small city or evaluating affordability in major global hubs, this page provides a clear, data-driven comparison.

Lowest

Highest

Region Worldwide Africa Northern Africa Western Africa Middle Africa Eastern Africa Southern Africa

Rank	City	Population	Living Index
1	Lagos, Nigeria	10,404,112	57
2	Abidjan, Ivory Coast	7,567,409	68
3	Ibadan, Nigeria	3,034,200	41
4	Dakar, Senegal	2,396,800	67
5	Accra, Ghana	2,388,000	38
6	Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso	1,915,102	51
7	Bamako, Mali	1,809,106	45
8	Conakry, Guinea	1,660,973	69
9	Kumasi, Ghana	1,517,000	22
10	Port Harcourt, Nigeria	1,382,592	46
11	Benin, Nigeria	1,147,188	23
12	Ogbomosho, Nigeria	1,032,000	23
13	Niamey, Niger	1,026,848	68
14	Monrovia, Liberia	1,010,970	70
15	Nouakchott, Mauritania	958,399	42
16	Freetown, Sierra Leone	951,000	97
17	Jos, Nigeria	900,000	50
18	Abeokuta, Nigeria	888,924	56
19	Ikeja, Nigeria	861,300	53
20	Lome, Togo	837,437	52
21	Bouake, Ivory Coast	832,371	41
22	Cotonou, Benin	780,000	49
23	Abuja, Nigeria	776,298	84
24	Oyo, Nigeria	736,100	35
25	Abomey-Calavi, Benin	650,000	37
26	Takoradi, Ghana	539,548	24
27	Ado-ekiti, Nigeria	446,749	32
28	Anyama, Ivory Coast	389,592	39
29	Akure, Nigeria	387,087	33
30	Ilesha, Nigeria	277,904	23

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update: February 24, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Affordability is based on the Cost of Living Index, which compares average expenses such as housing, food, transportation, and services. Cities are grouped by population size to allow fair comparisons within similar urban categories.

Larger cities often have higher housing demand, stronger job markets, and greater infrastructure costs, which can increase living expenses. Smaller cities may offer lower housing and daily costs but sometimes fewer economic opportunities.

Not always. While small cities are often more affordable, factors like salary levels, job availability, quality of life, and services should also be considered. This ranking helps you compare affordability within each city size category.